Lindsey Coulson talks carpet fluff

And reveals that she is rather a stylish housekeeper

By Carol Muskoron

We're sitting in the open plan kitchen diner of Lindsey Coulson's Edwardian London semi. I'm here to interview her about housekeeping habits for our Return of the Good Housekeeper special - it's an odd sort of interview (walking into someone's home and prying into their cleaning habits). I explain that the GH team has owned up to the chores they're passionate about and she nods, yes, she too has a chore she loves. ‘Cleaning windows! I like looking through nice clean windows. And chucking things out. I'm just about to get rid of a dress I've worn for four summers now,' she says relishing the thought. ‘Oh, and if I happen to be sitting on the stairs, I just have to reach out and get the fluff out of the corners. It's a horrible little obsession,' she admits. Yes it's a bit like admitting you pick your toe nails I point out, and she laughs. ‘Am I going to ruin my career telling you that?'

It's doubtful. Lindsey is one of those faces that we just love to see on TV- since being shot to fame playing battling mum Carol Jackson in EastEnders, she has gone on to play a truly wide and impressive range of dramatic characters, setting herself very firmly in the consciousness of the viewing public. Now, at the age of 47, there's a fabulous sense of confidence about her. She's doing the acting she wants - picking and choosing parts that suit her (she's making a conscious effort to do theatre these days), and picking and choosing her interviews very carefully. I'm delighted that she's agreed to talk to me.

Looking around the room, the place appears to be incredibly tidy. It's also tasteful and fun - a relaxed country look, mixed with a modern feel. There's a gorgeous old wood table, fab pale blue kitchen cupboards and a modern canvas with drawings by her daughter on it.

'I do like things tidy,' Lindsey says. ‘And the cleaner's been today. She's brilliant. Adeline. We tidy up together. I like to look like I'm relaxed but I'm not really. If my house is tidy I feel like my head is tidy.'

Lindsay is doing an Open University course on social science. Having left school at 16 to be a hairdresser, studying is something that means a lot to her. She's tucked the studying in inbetween the roles and the housekeeping. ‘If I'm doing an essay, I have to clean the room first,' she tells me. ‘I love cleaning. It's therapeutic. I used to work as a cleaner actually,  in the early days when I was ‘resting'. I liked it then too. Oh and I love my gardening!'

I look out at a long and lovely garden that appears to be truly cared for. What's that, I ask, of a fabulous red-leaf tree that's growing happily in a pot. It's a Canadian pansy that the costume department gave her when she left EastEnders.

And does she compost waste? ‘Yes! Monty Don did a wonderful programme about keeping the compost warm if it's wet in summer using paper, so I shred my scripts and alternate them with my peelings,' she says proudly.

Lindsey is as green as she can be but she'd like to be greener. ‘I recycle. I have a shopping trolley so that I can walk to the shops and not use plastic bags. I seriously think that plastic bags should be banned from supermarkets. I love my shopping trolley. People do think it's a bit granny-ish but I put it under my big trolley and pull it out at the cash desk. I would like to make more of a fuss about unnecessary packing. Sometimes I do ask ‘Why is that one pepper wrapped?' but more often than not, I don't want to be recognised so I won't bother. Plus it's not the fault of the nice people on the tills, is it?

Then, reflecting on the harder times she's had in life, she says pensively. ‘I'm quite well off now, of course, so I'm in a good position to be aware of the environment. It's not so easy if you're hard up and have got little children around. But I do really hate ready-washed veg,' she adds. ‘I'm sorry but we can wash our own veg instead of having it washed in countries like Kenya where water is scarce.'

We briefly talk cooking: ‘I only like cooking if I am not too stressed and can take my time. A friend of mine gave me a great simple recipe that I do all the time. It's roasted peppers and tomatoes with tikka masala paste vegetable stock and rice mixed together in oven for 35 mintues and it's delicious! And very easy.'

We even more briefly talk craft: ‘I hate knitting and am dreadful at sewing!'

And does Lindsay go online to solve her household problems? Our Return of the Good Housekeeper survey showed that 59% of women turn to the internet for home tips. Lindsey isn't one of them. She uses the internet for travel, for studying and for research.

I head through the hallway with its clutter-free original Edwardian floor tiles and Lindsey stops by the front door. ‘Oh, this is my trolley,' she says, by way of introduction. ‘It's a Rolser,' she adds. It's pink, gorgeous and not a bit granny-ish. (I'd show it off too, if it was mine). As I leave, I decide that yes, Lindsey is a good, conscientious housekeeper - and a stylish one at that.